Ordinary

"Miss, Crystal has recovered."

"Thanks for your hard work!"

Liu Muning took the energetic Crystal from the healer. She rubbed her cheek against the Titanium Crystal Ragdoll's fluffy body. "You worked hard today too, Crystal!"

"Meow!" (＞＜)☆

"Oh, right. I had a great time today, so I'll give you an extra reward. The room where you interviewed this afternoon will be your private office from now on."

After she'd finished petting the cat, Liu Muning looked at Chen Wei and nodded in satisfaction, her tone relaxed.

"Thank you for the reward, Miss Liu." Chen Wei thanked her out of habit. He felt like this beautiful boss he'd met during today's interview had given him a few too many perks, and he wasn't sure how to handle it!

"'Miss Liu'? I wanted to say something during the interview, but I don't like being addressed so formally."

Liu Muning furrowed her brows slightly, then added, "Don't use honorifics from now on. Just call me Sister Muning."

"Sure." Chen Wei obediently nodded. She was his future boss, so Sister Muning it was. Whatever the boss said went—after all, she was giving him so much!

"Okay, that's all for today. Talk to Xiao Yun about the details. I have something to take care of, so I'll be going."

Liu Muning glanced down at her elegant watch, seeming to have lost interest in continuing the conversation.

Chen Wei stared blankly at Liu Muning's departing figure. What a strange day.

After the interview, he'd somehow ended up in a battle against a master-level beastmaster. The crazy thing was, he'd actually won. Just like that, he'd earned a Titanium Crystal Ragdoll worth several million Star Coins.

"Hey, hey, stop staring. Miss has already left!"

A straightforward voice suddenly came from beside him. Chen Wei turned to look at the amateur secretary and referee.

"I'm Gu Yun. Let's exchange contact information first. Oh, and you have to come to work at least once a month. Remember to let me know in advance when you're coming in."

At her words, Chen Wei took out his phone and exchanged contact information with her, saving her name so he could get in touch with her later.

"Your contract is a little unusual, so we'll need some time to revise the terms. We'll have to wait until the day you start work to sign it. Do you have any other questions, Mr. Chen?"

Gu Yun explained the work process to Chen Wei clearly and concisely.

"Nope, that's all."

Night fell.

In a luxurious room inside the Ragdoll Mall, an ornate Origin Crystal chandelier hung from the beautifully decorated ceiling, bathing the room in a dreamlike glow.

At the elegant dining table, Liu Muning ate dinner gracefully while Gu Yun stood behind her, poised and upright.

After finishing her meal, Liu Muning wiped her lips with a napkin. As if she'd sensed something, she asked casually, "What's going on? You've been distracted since this afternoon. Did something happen at home?"

"N-no." At her words, Gu Yun nervously bit her lip.

"If something's bothering you, just say it. There's no need to be afraid. Even with my back to you, I can sense the confusion and conflict inside you."

"I-I just think that during this afternoon's battle, Miss, you weren't taking it seriously. Y-you even..." Gu Yun stammered, not daring to voice the suspicion in her heart.

"You mean I deliberately lost to him, Xiao Yun?" Liu Muning said casually, her tone even.

"N-no." Gu Yun's eyes instantly filled with panic, and she hurriedly shook her head.

"Xiao Yun, don't be nervous. There's no such thing as an undefeated beastmaster in this world. Besides, I'm just an ordinary researcher and alchemist, aren't I?"

Liu Muning furrowed her brows, her tone casual.

"Ah, y-yes." Gu Yun nodded quickly. "I'm sorry, Miss. I did a terrible job today!"

"It's fine. We haven't known each other long, but I quite like your personality. You're straightforward, capable, and unpretentious."

Liu Muning smiled and reassured her secretary.

"But a loss is a loss. There's no shame in losing. If you accuse me of throwing the match, I'll sue you for slander!"

Liu Muning teased her, as if joking.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss." Gu Yun's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Liu Muning then discreetly touched her ear, which seemed to be burning. She turned to look out the window at the beautiful nightscape, feigning calm as she secretly wondered:

Was my beast battle this afternoon really that obvious? It was my first time throwing a match! Even Xiao Yun noticed!

Chen Wei didn't stay long. While chatting with Gu Yun, he'd noticed that the secretary kept giving him puzzled, baffled looks. He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, so he kept things brief and took the initiative to say goodbye.

Back at his apartment, Chen Wei collapsed onto the comfortable bed, exhausted after a busy day. A cyan sigil flashed and vanished. In the blink of an eye, Color Spirit appeared on his chest.

"Ee-ee!" (Strengthen me, strengthen me!)

Seeing the excitement in Color Spirit's adorable eyes, Chen Wei smiled helplessly. "Later. I'll strengthen you after I finish cultivating tonight."

"Ee." (╯﹏╰)b

Color Spirit tilted its head in disappointment, then turned away sadly and curled up beside the pillow. It clearly had no interest in talking to Chen Wei anymore.

"All right, all right. You're impossible." Chen Wei laughed. What was the rush? It wasn't as if he wouldn't strengthen it.

But honestly, he was genuinely happy that Color Spirit liked his massage-strengthening so much.

Chen Wei got up from the bed, a smile on his face, intending to cheer Color Spirit up.

The next second, the familiar sound of "bzz-bzz" came from his pocket. His phone was vibrating.

He pulled out his phone without thinking, and his gaze was drawn to the incoming call on its screen.

"Hello, your package has been delivered. Sorry for the trouble, but could you come out and pick it up?"

"Sure." Chen Wei hung up, picked up Color Spirit, curled into a little ball, and held it in his arms. As if soothing a child, he said, "All right, don't be upset. Cheer up. Your food just arrived, so let's go get it together."

Chen Wei opened the door. A courier in a blue uniform marked Rainbow Eagle Express stood outside, holding a package.

"Here's your package. Could you show me the pickup code?" The courier glanced curiously at the bundled-up beast in Chen Wei's arms. He'd rarely seen such an adorable beast.

A pickup code was required to collect a package, to ensure that it was the beastmaster who received it.

After all, the products sold at the Beastmaster Mall were only available to beastmasters, and beastmasters who shopped there were strictly prohibited from selling beastmaster products to ordinary people.

If a beastmaster was caught reselling products like that, the Beastmaster Association would punish them severely. In serious cases, they could even have their beastmaster license revoked.

Chen Wei took the package from the courier, looked over its tightly sealed wrapping, and nodded with satisfaction before reciting a string of numbers.

"Beep. Signed for successfully." The notification sounded from the courier's phone.

"Thank you for choosing Rainbow Eagle Express." After confirming that everything was in order, the courier turned and left.

"Ee? Ee!" (ω) (Food? What is it?)

Color Spirit curiously examined the package in Chen Wei's hands, then stuck out its tongue and tentatively touched it.

"Hey! Don't! That's dirty. It's not food."

Chen Wei hurriedly stopped Color Spirit's curious attempt.

New writer, new book. By the way, is anyone reading?